Episode Transcript
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(00:31):
This is Ed Falco on the air,reading The Strangers, a novel
in 19 episodes.
At the conclusion of episode 18,Severn and the others, having
determined that they are nolonger in any immediate danger
from the pack, are returning tothe farm to finally bury Sage.
That's where we pick up with thefinal episode of The Strangers.
(00:55):
For most of the walk back to thefarmhouse, Tommy and Vi were
uncharacteristically quiet.
No chatting, no joking, only thesilence of the surrounding night
interrupted by wind gusting andkicking up leaves and dirt.
Severn and Vi both hadflashlights and they led the way
through the pine woods.
Vi occasionally turning herflashlight beam up into the
(01:17):
trees when she heard therustling of wings or the sound
of a squirrel skempering overbranches.
No one spoke until they were outin the open fields, where the
moon was so bright theflashlights were unnecessary.
They stopped a minute as Tommyhanded off Sage.
When Severn got a good grip onthe big dog, heaving her up
(01:39):
close to his chest before theystarted again, Vi moved up
alongside Red.
You know what it is, Vi said, asif she and Red had been chatting
with each other all along.
They're still kind of freakedout by you.
Freaked out?
Red spoke so softly thateveryone leaned a little closer
to her so they could make outher words.
(02:01):
Like it's hard to reallycomprehend, Vi explained, so
they don't know how to handleit.
What is hard to comprehend?
Vi was stuck for words brieflybefore she blurted out, her
voice rising a bit, how youcould turn into one of them of
the pack, she said.
It's, like, really crazy, like,Vi went on, Matthew and A'isha,
(02:22):
they're probably wondering,could you do it anytime you
wanted to, change like that?
Red put her hands to her face,as if she was trying to hide.
Severn said, it's not easy forRed to talk about this, Vi.
She's already explained to methat she doesn't understand what
happened to her.
Vi said, I don't mean to upsetyou, Red.
(02:43):
I'm just trying to explain.
Matthew and A'isha, she said,they're good.
They're just freaked out by you,by what happened.
That's why they're not comingback to the farmhouse with us.
Red took her hands away from herface.
Me too, she said to Vi.
I'm freaked out.
Vi smiled at Red's response.
(03:04):
She touched Red's arm.
We can change the subject.
Severn said we should bury Sageas soon as we get to the house.
He looked up at the moon, brightenough out for it.
Tommy said, I miss Sage.
Vi said, she was the last gooddog.
(03:24):
Red touched Vi's hand as if tocomfort her.
Always, she said, there are somecreatures who were bonded to the
originals, bonded to the firsts,and they never warmed to us.
Severn asked gently, how do youknow that, Red?
Always?
It happened before, elsewhere,that some creatures remain loyal
(03:46):
to the indigenous species, tothe firsts, the originals?
Yes, Red answered.
Always.
Severn asked again.
How do you know that?
We have our own history, Redanswered.
She paused as the farmhouse cameinto sight, the white clapboard
(04:06):
exterior shimmering inmoonlight.
In time it fades away, ourhistory, she added.
Over the generations, until wehave only your history.
In time, we forget who we were,and we become completely you.
But for now, I know.
It is part of our history.
(04:26):
There are always some creatures.
They never warm to us until thegenerations pass and they forget
the originals.
She looked at Vi.
So there are more good dogs, shesaid.
Perhaps we will find one.
Tommy moved close to Red so thathe was on one side of her and Vi
on the other.
(04:47):
You walk like us now, he said.
And you talk like us.
And then eventually you forgetyou weren't always really us to
begin with?
That's so creepy, Vi said,before Tommy could come up with
the word.
It doesn't seem so to us, Redexplained.
We are always changing andadding.
(05:09):
We are always becoming.
But it's terrible, Vi said.
What your people did to us.
You see that, don't you, Red?
Severn said to Vi, She does.
She sees that.
Vi and Tommy were both watchingRed.
They acted as if they hadn'theard Severn at all.
(05:31):
I am with you now, Red answered,and her eyes seemed suddenly to
harden.
When they'd come out of thefields and were on the blacktop
driveway, Severn asked Tommy toget a couple of shovels from the
garage.
Vi said, I want to help dig thegrave.
Severn said, How about Tommy andI dig the grave while you and
(05:51):
Red get sleeping spaces set upfor us in the house.
When the grave's ready, we canthrow the dirt over her
together.
Where should we all sleep?
Vi glanced quickly toward Tommyand then looked away, back to
Severn.
Let's all sleep up in the atticfor now, Severn said.
There's empty bedroomsdownstairs, Tommy said.
The attic for now, Severn said,and he pointed to the garage,
(06:15):
meaning Tommy should go get theshovels.
We'll bury her over here, hegestured toward a patch of tall
grass just beyond the frontporch.
Vi took Red by the arm andstarted for the house and Tommy
went off to the garage.
Severn, alone for a moment,threw his head back and watched
a single dark cloud quicklycross the moon's path, blotting
(06:36):
out its light for a few secondsbefore it slid past.
At the sound of the screen doorslapping shut, he turned around.
He turned back to the housewhere he followed Vi's
flashlight beam as it lit up theliving room before disappearing
and then reappearing in one ofthe narrow basement windows.
A few minutes later, the roar ofthe generator rumbled out into
(06:56):
the night, followed by thebright flare of lights going on
throughout the house.
Dude, Tommy said, back from thegarage carrying a pair of
shovels, is stronger than Ithought.
He gestured towards Sage,nestled securely in Severn's
arms.
She's heavy, isn't she?
Not so bad, Severn answered.
(07:17):
He'd been holding on to Sage asmuch as carrying her.
She was cold and stiff under theblanket, but he nonetheless
liked the feel of her bulkagainst his chest.
Over here, he said, and he ledTommy to a patch of soft ground
some twenty or so feet out fromthe front porch.
He laid Sage down in the grassand reached for a shovel.
(07:37):
Tommy held the shovel back.
Let me dig, he said.
You did most of the carrying.
Severn sat beside Sage andwatched Tommy work.
The kid was all muscle.
He tore up the ground and tosseddirt into a pile.
Within a few minutes, theoutline of the grave was torn
out of the grass, a darkrectangle under the moon.
And a little while after that,he was already a foot into the
(08:00):
ground.
You can slow down some, Tommy.
Sage isn't going anywhere.
Might as well get it done, Tommyanswered.
He appeared to be lost inthought while he was working.
Severn found the second shoveland joined Tommy.
May I ask you something, hesaid, after throwing a few
shovelfuls of dirt out of thegrave.
(08:21):
When he grunted in theaffirmative, he asked, Do you
love Vi?
Tommy stopped shoveling.
What kind of question is that?
He looked genuinely surprised.
He swiped his hair from his faceand left a dirt smudge on his
forehead.
Of course I love her, he said,and he went back to work.
We both love her, he added.
Why is that even something you'dask?
(08:43):
Severn kept shoveling.
After a while he said, You knowwhat I mean, Tommy, don't you?
You know why I'm asking.
Dude, Tommy said, and he starteddigging even faster, as if he
were somehow running away fromSevern.
After they dug down a couple offeet in silence, he stopped,
pushed the blade of the shovelinto the ground and leaned on
(09:04):
the handle.
She's kind of like a littlesister to me, Severn.
That's how I've always thoughtof her.
He pulled the shovel up and wentto work again.
I mean, he added, it's not thatI haven't noticed her.
She's kind of beautiful, isn'tshe?
She is, Severn said.
When his shovel bounced off arock, he dug the rock out with
his hands and threw it out intothe now substantial pile of
(09:26):
dirt.
Look, he said, wiping his handson his pants.
We have no idea what's going tohappen.
For all we know, there are morehumans that survived.
Everything could change.
Yeah, Tommy said, that's true.
He stopped shoveling.
Is this deep enough?
He asked.
When Severn agreed that it wasdeep enough, Tommy added, not
(09:47):
likely, but possible, meaning hedoubted that more humans had
survived.
We'll have to wait and see whathappens, Severn said.
He pulled himself out of thegrave, lifted Sage, and handed
him down to Tommy.
But I'm glad you have eachother, no matter what.
You and Vi.
Tommy settled Sage at the bottomof the grave and then looked up
(10:09):
to Severn.
You sound like you're goingsomewhere, he said.
And then his attention suddenlyshifted.
Look at this.
A broad smile crossed his face.
Severn turned to find Matthewand A'isha coming out of the
fields by the garage.
Just in time, Tommy said.
We can all say goodbye to Sagetogether.
(10:30):
A'isha took Matthew's hand asthey approached, as if she was
leading him along.
The moon was over their shoulderand they were largely
silhouettes until they werestanding close to the grave.
Matthew looked past Severn toTommy and Sage and then back to
Severn.
Too early to be breaking intotribes, he said, explaining why
he had come back to thefarmhouse with A'isha.
(10:52):
I'm glad you're here, Severnsaid.
Me too.
Tommy climbed out of the graveand stood beside Severn.
You're burying her tonight?
A'isha stepped close to the edgeof the grave and looked down at
Sage.
Now that you're here, Severnsaid, it's perfect.
He touched Tommy's arm.
Why didn't you go get Vi andRed?
Tommy looked awkwardly atMatthew, as if he wanted to say
(11:13):
something more, and then boltedfor the porch in the house.
A moment later, he returned withVi.
Red still feeling weak, Vi saidas she was approaching.
She went to A'isha and gave hera hug.
She turned to Matthew,hesitated, and then threw
herself at him, hugging himaround the neck.
Matthew was momentarily stiff asif surprised before he leaned
(11:37):
over and returned the hug.
Tommy went to work filling thegrave and Severn joined him.
Do we have a plan?
Matthew asked.
Have you guys talked?
Severn said, no, not yet.
Now that you're with us though,we can all talk.
I was thinking, Matthew said,there's no reason for us to stay
here.
(11:57):
We only stayed in the firstplace because of the caves.
And now, we don't need them.
I agree, Severn said.
I think we should bury Sage andleave in the morning.
So soon, A'isha said.
Matthew said, agreeing withSevern, let's pick a place and
go.
He looked around at thesurrounding mountains.
(12:18):
I won't be sad to leave here.
What about the ocean, Vi said.
We could get away from the packon the ocean.
Maybe even lose them.
Severn looked to Matthew andA'isha.
A'isha said, we could go toNorfolk.
See what we find there.
Dude, Tommy said, a battleship.
Norfolk's full of battleships.
(12:39):
The strangers probably don'tknow what to do with them.
They've most likely destroyedthem, Matthew said.
Severn laughed and said, I don'tthink we could figure out a
battleship.
With enough time, Matthew said,it's not out of the question.
It took Severn a moment torealize that Matthew was
serious, and then he wasimpressed.
For now, he said, maybe a yachtto start us off.
(13:03):
Cool, Tommy said.
I could live with that.
Vi said, I know I'd feel betterwith a few hundred miles of
ocean between us and the pack.
Severn threw the last fewshovelfuls of dirt onto the
grave.
I think the dogs are going tofind they underestimated us, he
said.
He tossed his shovel aside andstood next to Matthew.
Matthew said, even if we couldeliminate the dogs somehow,
(13:26):
there'd still be the strangersto deal with.
Severn looked back to the house,searching the windows.
There's nothing to do about thestrangers, he said.
They replaced us.
That's just the way it is.
We have no choice but to dealwith it.
For now, anyway, Matthew said.
He gestured toward the front ofthe house, where Red had
appeared in a window.
(13:48):
She stood with her hands foldedin front of her, looking out at
them.
I still don't know what we'regoing to do about her, he said
to Severn.
If you say we can trust her,okay.
I'll go along.
But she's one of them.
She's one of the pack.
Severn was quiet, watching Redin the window.
For a while, the five of themwaited in the moonlight with a
(14:09):
breeze whistling through thegrass and trees.
When he turned away from thewindow, he said, I don't know
either.
To Matthew he said, I'm notarguing with you.
She's one of the pack.
He paused as if momentarilyreconsidering.
We're part of her at least, Iagree.
(14:29):
Her change, the things thathappened to her in the cave.
He looked at Vi and Tommy as ifhe needed them to understand
him.
It was terrible, he said, whatshe went through.
He was quiet a second, unable toput into words how horrible the
metamorphosis had been towitness and how much more
horrible it must have been toexperience.
(14:51):
He had already described it tothem as best he could, but he
knew his words had beeninadequate.
He pictured her flesh meltingaway, and the sheath tearing her
in half.
She went through that twice, forme.
He took a step back.
I understand if you can't feelsafe with her.
He let his gaze settle onMatthew.
(15:13):
Or if you believe it's wrong forme to be with her, I understand
that.
He paused again and added, Iwon't leave her, but perhaps you
four should talk it over anddecide whether or not you want
us, me and Red, with you, forthe long run, into the future.
There's nothing to talk over, Visaid, before the last word was
(15:33):
out of Severn's mouth.
I'm going wherever you're going.
Tommy said, I trust you, Severn.
He shrugged and added, I mean, Idon't know what's going to
happen, but He was stuck forwords and so repeated himself, I
trust you.
A'isha looked to Matthew,waiting for what he'd say.
(15:53):
Matthew turned first to Severnand then back to the house,
where Red was still watchingfrom the window.
If you're all willing, he said,A'isha and I, we agreed, we
shouldn't split up.
I mean the five of us, we shouldstay together.
He paused and then added, I'mwilling to wait and see what
comes of it with Red.
(16:15):
He started to offer Severn hishand, as if for a handshake, and
then awkwardly let his arm dropto his side.
We'll see what comes of it,Severn repeated.
He added, without thinking andwithout knowing entirely what he
meant, maybe we can do better.
A'isha went behind Matthew andwrapped her arms around him.
(16:35):
She looked over his shouldertoward the house.
Let's get Red and say ourgoodbyes to Sage, she said,
sounding tired.
I'm looking forward to sleepingunder a roof.
Tommy called for Red to jointhem.
Red, at the window, took a stepback.
Not until Vi also called out toher did she step out of the
frame of the window and thenleave the house.
(16:58):
She went to Severn and stood byhis side.
Severn took her by the hand andmoved to the far side of the
grave.
When he reached out to Vi, theothers made a circle around the
grave, holding hands.
I guess, Severn said, maybe weshould all just say what we want
to say, unless someone wants torecite a prayer first.
(17:20):
The response from the circle wasa long silence that only broke
when Vi looked up from her feetand made a face that said she
had given up on finding theright words.
Why don't you just say somethingfor all of us, she asked Severn.
Tommy said, I can't think ofanything that doesn't sound
dumb.
And he looked to Severn,seconding Vi's request.
(17:42):
Some pets, Severn said.
They take up a place in ourhearts like family.
In his head, words buzzed as hestruggled to find something
appropriate to say and write,but they wouldn't come together
into sentences that made sense.
The words, family, echoed.
And sage.
And everyone.
(18:04):
Vyse said, Are you alright,Severn?
Let's just have a moment ofsilence, Severn answered.
To Tommy, he said, I can't thinkof anything to say that doesn't
sound dumb either.
He closed his eyes and heldtight to red and vie.
In the darkness, behind hiseyelids, an image of Sarah
loomed into sight and quicklydisappeared, followed by a line
(18:26):
of people sailing through hisfield of view, some of them he
knew and loved, some of themunknown.
He watched them file past hiseyes and disappear into the
darkness with Sarah, and he wasleft, again, with the sense of
being surrounded by the dead.
He felt them in the wind andheard them in the rustling of
the trees.
(18:47):
They were everywhere, movingaround him and through him.
He nodded to them, acknowledgingthem, and when he opened his
eyes, he found that everyone'shead was bowed in the circle as
if in prayer.
Okay, he said softly.
Okay, he repeated.
Let's call it a night.
(19:07):
In the morning, they packed thejeep and the spider.
They were up at first light,emptying the guns and weapons
from the attic, packing whatthey wanted to take with them
into the back of the Jeep,loading up the roof rack.
By the time the sun was over thesurrounding hills, they were
ready to go.
The Spider was poised at thefoot of the driveway with its
engine humming, the Jeep parkedbehind it with the Winslow Homer
(19:30):
watercolor propped up in thecargo area.
Red, Tommy, and Vi waitedoutside the jeep with Severn.
In the house, A'isha and Matthewcould be seen through the
windows, scurrying from room toroom.
Vi came up alongside Severn.
What are they doing?
she asked.
I thought we were ready to go.
(19:51):
Tommy opened the back door ofthe jeep and leaned against the
frame.
He shielded his eyes from thesun with an open hand and
squinted toward the farmhousewindows.
Why are they running around inthere like that?
Red came around from thepassenger side of the jeep to
stand beside Severn.
I smell gasoline, she said.
Matthew and A'isha exited thehouse.
(20:13):
A'isha started for the jeepwhile Matthew hung back in the
farmhouse doorway.
Severn put his arm around Vi'sshoulder.
We didn't tell you because weknew it would bother you, Vi.
Tell her what?
Tommy asked.
The couple that own the house,Severn said to both Tommy and
Vi.
They're still in there.
They're under the cover, side byside, in the master bedroom.
(20:35):
I wondered why that room waslocked, Tommy said.
Vi stepped away from Severn.
And you didn't tell me?
Severn said, They looked likethey belonged there, Vi,
together, in their own bedroom.
I didn't want to disturb them.
We didn't either, A'isha said,joining them.
Mr.
and Mrs.
It's their house.
We were guests.
(20:56):
She turned back to the farmhouseas Matthew lit up a rag wrapped
around a stick and tossed theburning stick through the front
door.
Before he could reach the jeep,the downstairs of the farmhouse
was burning, flames eating upthe curtains and shooting out
the open windows.
We're cremating them, A'ishasaid.
Tommy reached over the jeep doorand touched Vi's shoulder as if
(21:19):
to comfort her.
Okay, Vi said to Severn.
She moved closer to him again.
I guess it's the right thing todo.
Matthew joined them and stoodbehind A'isha.
He put his arm around her andshe leaned back into him.
The six of them were quiet thenin the morning sunlight,
gathered around the jeep,watching the farmhouse burn.
(21:42):
Red turned to Severn after aminute, as if to ask why they
weren't leaving.
He saw that flames didn't holdthe same fascination for Red
that they did for him and theothers, and And he guessed that
this was likely yet anotherthing that separated humans from
strangers.
He tried to think of how toexplain it to Red, the human
fascination with fire.
(22:03):
Flames entrance us, he thoughtto say.
And then he thought that evenmore than that, watching the
farmhouse burn was like watchingthe last of everything they knew
turn to smoke and ashes beforethey ventured off into an
altered world.
One that was a mystery, full ofthings they didn't know, and
maybe couldn't even dream.
(22:25):
He didn't know how to explainany of this to Red, so he took
her hand in his and held ittight, and in that moment he
felt gratitude bubbling up inhim, and he was amazed by it.
He felt the six of them standingin a little knot watching the
flames, and he felt the others,the surrounding spirits of all
who had gone before them.
(22:46):
He didn't know what to say, andhe gave up trying.
He held on to Red and Vi, andwatched flames devour the house,
growling and roaring, as if theythemselves were a living thing.
In a moment, they were gone.
They would leave and move on,but for now, Severn watched the
farmhouse burn in silence as ifawestruck in the heat of the
(23:09):
fire under the warmth of themorning sun.
That was the nineteenth andfinal episode of The Strangers.
This podcast is an experiment inalternatives to traditional
(23:31):
publishing.
In forthcoming episodes, beforeI begin the next novel in the
series.
I'll be reading a few shortstories and talking about the
craft of writing.
I hope you enjoyed TheStrangers, and I hope you'll
join me for future episodes.
This is Ed Falco on the air,reading The Strangers, a novel
in 19 episodes.
At the conclusion of episode 18,Severn and the others, having
determined that they are nolonger in any immediate danger
from the pack, are returning tothe farm to finally bury Sage.
That's where we pick up with thefinal episode of The Strangers.
(00:55):
For most of the walk back to thefarmhouse, Tommy and Vi were
uncharacteristically quiet.
No chatting, no joking, only thesilence of the surrounding night
interrupted by wind gusting andkicking up leaves and dirt.
Severn and Vi both hadflashlights and they led the way
through the pine woods.
Vi occasionally turning herflashlight beam up into the
(01:17):
trees when she heard therustling of wings or the sound
of a squirrel skempering overbranches.
No one spoke until they were outin the open fields, where the
moon was so bright theflashlights were unnecessary.
They stopped a minute as Tommyhanded off Sage.
When Severn got a good grip onthe big dog, heaving her up
(01:39):
close to his chest before theystarted again, Vi moved up
alongside Red.
You know what it is, Vi said, asif she and Red had been chatting
with each other all along.
They're still kind of freakedout by you.
Freaked out?
Red spoke so softly thateveryone leaned a little closer
to her so they could make outher words.
(02:01):
Like it's hard to reallycomprehend, Vi explained, so
they don't know how to handleit.
What is hard to comprehend?
Vi was stuck for words brieflybefore she blurted out, her
voice rising a bit, how youcould turn into one of them of
the pack, she said.
It's, like, really crazy, like,Vi went on, Matthew and A'isha,
(02:22):
they're probably wondering,could you do it anytime you
wanted to, change like that?
Red put her hands to her face,as if she was trying to hide.
Severn said, it's not easy forRed to talk about this, Vi.
She's already explained to methat she doesn't understand what
happened to her.
Vi said, I don't mean to upsetyou, Red.
(02:43):
I'm just trying to explain.
Matthew and A'isha, she said,they're good.
They're just freaked out by you,by what happened.
That's why they're not comingback to the farmhouse with us.
Red took her hands away from herface.
Me too, she said to Vi.
I'm freaked out.
Vi smiled at Red's response.
(03:04):
She touched Red's arm.
We can change the subject.
Severn said we should bury Sageas soon as we get to the house.
He looked up at the moon, brightenough out for it.
Tommy said, I miss Sage.
Vi said, she was the last gooddog.
(03:24):
Red touched Vi's hand as if tocomfort her.
Always, she said, there are somecreatures who were bonded to the
originals, bonded to the firsts,and they never warmed to us.
Severn asked gently, how do youknow that, Red?
Always?
It happened before, elsewhere,that some creatures remain loyal
(03:46):
to the indigenous species, tothe firsts, the originals?
Yes, Red answered.
Always.
Severn asked again.
How do you know that?
We have our own history, Redanswered.
She paused as the farmhouse cameinto sight, the white clapboard
(04:06):
exterior shimmering inmoonlight.
In time it fades away, ourhistory, she added.
Over the generations, until wehave only your history.
In time, we forget who we were,and we become completely you.
But for now, I know.
It is part of our history.
(04:26):
There are always some creatures.
They never warm to us until thegenerations pass and they forget
the originals.
She looked at Vi.
So there are more good dogs, shesaid.
Perhaps we will find one.
Tommy moved close to Red so thathe was on one side of her and Vi
on the other.
(04:47):
You walk like us now, he said.
And you talk like us.
And then eventually you forgetyou weren't always really us to
begin with?
That's so creepy, Vi said,before Tommy could come up with
the word.
It doesn't seem so to us, Redexplained.
We are always changing andadding.
(05:09):
We are always becoming.
But it's terrible, Vi said.
What your people did to us.
You see that, don't you, Red?
Severn said to Vi, She does.
She sees that.
Vi and Tommy were both watchingRed.
They acted as if they hadn'theard Severn at all.
(05:31):
I am with you now, Red answered,and her eyes seemed suddenly to
harden.
When they'd come out of thefields and were on the blacktop
driveway, Severn asked Tommy toget a couple of shovels from the
garage.
Vi said, I want to help dig thegrave.
Severn said, How about Tommy andI dig the grave while you and
(05:51):
Red get sleeping spaces set upfor us in the house.
When the grave's ready, we canthrow the dirt over her
together.
Where should we all sleep?
Vi glanced quickly toward Tommyand then looked away, back to
Severn.
Let's all sleep up in the atticfor now, Severn said.
There's empty bedroomsdownstairs, Tommy said.
The attic for now, Severn said,and he pointed to the garage,
(06:15):
meaning Tommy should go get theshovels.
We'll bury her over here, hegestured toward a patch of tall
grass just beyond the frontporch.
Vi took Red by the arm andstarted for the house and Tommy
went off to the garage.
Severn, alone for a moment,threw his head back and watched
a single dark cloud quicklycross the moon's path, blotting
(06:36):
out its light for a few secondsbefore it slid past.
At the sound of the screen doorslapping shut, he turned around.
He turned back to the housewhere he followed Vi's
flashlight beam as it lit up theliving room before disappearing
and then reappearing in one ofthe narrow basement windows.
A few minutes later, the roar ofthe generator rumbled out into
(06:56):
the night, followed by thebright flare of lights going on
throughout the house.
Dude, Tommy said, back from thegarage carrying a pair of
shovels, is stronger than Ithought.
He gestured towards Sage,nestled securely in Severn's
arms.
She's heavy, isn't she?
Not so bad, Severn answered.
(07:17):
He'd been holding on to Sage asmuch as carrying her.
She was cold and stiff under theblanket, but he nonetheless
liked the feel of her bulkagainst his chest.
Over here, he said, and he ledTommy to a patch of soft ground
some twenty or so feet out fromthe front porch.
He laid Sage down in the grassand reached for a shovel.
(07:37):
Tommy held the shovel back.
Let me dig, he said.
You did most of the carrying.
Severn sat beside Sage andwatched Tommy work.
The kid was all muscle.
He tore up the ground and tosseddirt into a pile.
Within a few minutes, theoutline of the grave was torn
out of the grass, a darkrectangle under the moon.
And a little while after that,he was already a foot into the
(08:00):
ground.
You can slow down some, Tommy.
Sage isn't going anywhere.
Might as well get it done, Tommyanswered.
He appeared to be lost inthought while he was working.
Severn found the second shoveland joined Tommy.
May I ask you something, hesaid, after throwing a few
shovelfuls of dirt out of thegrave.
(08:21):
When he grunted in theaffirmative, he asked, Do you
love Vi?
Tommy stopped shoveling.
What kind of question is that?
He looked genuinely surprised.
He swiped his hair from his faceand left a dirt smudge on his
forehead.
Of course I love her, he said,and he went back to work.
We both love her, he added.
Why is that even something you'dask?
(08:43):
Severn kept shoveling.
After a while he said, You knowwhat I mean, Tommy, don't you?
You know why I'm asking.
Dude, Tommy said, and he starteddigging even faster, as if he
were somehow running away fromSevern.
After they dug down a couple offeet in silence, he stopped,
pushed the blade of the shovelinto the ground and leaned on
(09:04):
the handle.
She's kind of like a littlesister to me, Severn.
That's how I've always thoughtof her.
He pulled the shovel up and wentto work again.
I mean, he added, it's not thatI haven't noticed her.
She's kind of beautiful, isn'tshe?
She is, Severn said.
When his shovel bounced off arock, he dug the rock out with
his hands and threw it out intothe now substantial pile of
(09:26):
dirt.
Look, he said, wiping his handson his pants.
We have no idea what's going tohappen.
For all we know, there are morehumans that survived.
Everything could change.
Yeah, Tommy said, that's true.
He stopped shoveling.
Is this deep enough?
He asked.
When Severn agreed that it wasdeep enough, Tommy added, not
(09:47):
likely, but possible, meaning hedoubted that more humans had
survived.
We'll have to wait and see whathappens, Severn said.
He pulled himself out of thegrave, lifted Sage, and handed
him down to Tommy.
But I'm glad you have eachother, no matter what.
You and Vi.
Tommy settled Sage at the bottomof the grave and then looked up
(10:09):
to Severn.
You sound like you're goingsomewhere, he said.
And then his attention suddenlyshifted.
Look at this.
A broad smile crossed his face.
Severn turned to find Matthewand A'isha coming out of the
fields by the garage.
Just in time, Tommy said.
We can all say goodbye to Sagetogether.
(10:30):
A'isha took Matthew's hand asthey approached, as if she was
leading him along.
The moon was over their shoulderand they were largely
silhouettes until they werestanding close to the grave.
Matthew looked past Severn toTommy and Sage and then back to
Severn.
Too early to be breaking intotribes, he said, explaining why
he had come back to thefarmhouse with A'isha.
(10:52):
I'm glad you're here, Severnsaid.
Me too.
Tommy climbed out of the graveand stood beside Severn.
You're burying her tonight?
A'isha stepped close to the edgeof the grave and looked down at
Sage.
Now that you're here, Severnsaid, it's perfect.
He touched Tommy's arm.
Why didn't you go get Vi andRed?
Tommy looked awkwardly atMatthew, as if he wanted to say
(11:13):
something more, and then boltedfor the porch in the house.
A moment later, he returned withVi.
Red still feeling weak, Vi saidas she was approaching.
She went to A'isha and gave hera hug.
She turned to Matthew,hesitated, and then threw
herself at him, hugging himaround the neck.
Matthew was momentarily stiff asif surprised before he leaned
(11:37):
over and returned the hug.
Tommy went to work filling thegrave and Severn joined him.
Do we have a plan?
Matthew asked.
Have you guys talked?
Severn said, no, not yet.
Now that you're with us though,we can all talk.
I was thinking, Matthew said,there's no reason for us to stay
here.
(11:57):
We only stayed in the firstplace because of the caves.
And now, we don't need them.
I agree, Severn said.
I think we should bury Sage andleave in the morning.
So soon, A'isha said.
Matthew said, agreeing withSevern, let's pick a place and
go.
He looked around at thesurrounding mountains.
(12:18):
I won't be sad to leave here.
What about the ocean, Vi said.
We could get away from the packon the ocean.
Maybe even lose them.
Severn looked to Matthew andA'isha.
A'isha said, we could go toNorfolk.
See what we find there.
Dude, Tommy said, a battleship.
Norfolk's full of battleships.
(12:39):
The strangers probably don'tknow what to do with them.
They've most likely destroyedthem, Matthew said.
Severn laughed and said, I don'tthink we could figure out a
battleship.
With enough time, Matthew said,it's not out of the question.
It took Severn a moment torealize that Matthew was
serious, and then he wasimpressed.
For now, he said, maybe a yachtto start us off.
(13:03):
Cool, Tommy said.
I could live with that.
Vi said, I know I'd feel betterwith a few hundred miles of
ocean between us and the pack.
Severn threw the last fewshovelfuls of dirt onto the
grave.
I think the dogs are going tofind they underestimated us, he
said.
He tossed his shovel aside andstood next to Matthew.
Matthew said, even if we couldeliminate the dogs somehow,
(13:26):
there'd still be the strangersto deal with.
Severn looked back to the house,searching the windows.
There's nothing to do about thestrangers, he said.
They replaced us.
That's just the way it is.
We have no choice but to dealwith it.
For now, anyway, Matthew said.
He gestured toward the front ofthe house, where Red had
appeared in a window.
(13:48):
She stood with her hands foldedin front of her, looking out at
them.
I still don't know what we'regoing to do about her, he said
to Severn.
If you say we can trust her,okay.
I'll go along.
But she's one of them.
She's one of the pack.
Severn was quiet, watching Redin the window.
For a while, the five of themwaited in the moonlight with a
(14:09):
breeze whistling through thegrass and trees.
When he turned away from thewindow, he said, I don't know
either.
To Matthew he said, I'm notarguing with you.
She's one of the pack.
He paused as if momentarilyreconsidering.
We're part of her at least, Iagree.
(14:29):
Her change, the things thathappened to her in the cave.
He looked at Vi and Tommy as ifhe needed them to understand
him.
It was terrible, he said, whatshe went through.
He was quiet a second, unable toput into words how horrible the
metamorphosis had been towitness and how much more
horrible it must have been toexperience.
(14:51):
He had already described it tothem as best he could, but he
knew his words had beeninadequate.
He pictured her flesh meltingaway, and the sheath tearing her
in half.
She went through that twice, forme.
He took a step back.
I understand if you can't feelsafe with her.
He let his gaze settle onMatthew.
(15:13):
Or if you believe it's wrong forme to be with her, I understand
that.
He paused again and added, Iwon't leave her, but perhaps you
four should talk it over anddecide whether or not you want
us, me and Red, with you, forthe long run, into the future.
There's nothing to talk over, Visaid, before the last word was
(15:33):
out of Severn's mouth.
I'm going wherever you're going.
Tommy said, I trust you, Severn.
He shrugged and added, I mean, Idon't know what's going to
happen, but He was stuck forwords and so repeated himself, I
trust you.
A'isha looked to Matthew,waiting for what he'd say.
(15:53):
Matthew turned first to Severnand then back to the house,
where Red was still watchingfrom the window.
If you're all willing, he said,A'isha and I, we agreed, we
shouldn't split up.
I mean the five of us, we shouldstay together.
He paused and then added, I'mwilling to wait and see what
comes of it with Red.
(16:15):
He started to offer Severn hishand, as if for a handshake, and
then awkwardly let his arm dropto his side.
We'll see what comes of it,Severn repeated.
He added, without thinking andwithout knowing entirely what he
meant, maybe we can do better.
A'isha went behind Matthew andwrapped her arms around him.
(16:35):
She looked over his shouldertoward the house.
Let's get Red and say ourgoodbyes to Sage, she said,
sounding tired.
I'm looking forward to sleepingunder a roof.
Tommy called for Red to jointhem.
Red, at the window, took a stepback.
Not until Vi also called out toher did she step out of the
frame of the window and thenleave the house.
(16:58):
She went to Severn and stood byhis side.
Severn took her by the hand andmoved to the far side of the
grave.
When he reached out to Vi, theothers made a circle around the
grave, holding hands.
I guess, Severn said, maybe weshould all just say what we want
to say, unless someone wants torecite a prayer first.
(17:20):
The response from the circle wasa long silence that only broke
when Vi looked up from her feetand made a face that said she
had given up on finding theright words.
Why don't you just say somethingfor all of us, she asked Severn.
Tommy said, I can't think ofanything that doesn't sound
dumb.
And he looked to Severn,seconding Vi's request.
(17:42):
Some pets, Severn said.
They take up a place in ourhearts like family.
In his head, words buzzed as hestruggled to find something
appropriate to say and write,but they wouldn't come together
into sentences that made sense.
The words, family, echoed.
And sage.
And everyone.
(18:04):
Vyse said, Are you alright,Severn?
Let's just have a moment ofsilence, Severn answered.
To Tommy, he said, I can't thinkof anything to say that doesn't
sound dumb either.
He closed his eyes and heldtight to red and vie.
In the darkness, behind hiseyelids, an image of Sarah
loomed into sight and quicklydisappeared, followed by a line
(18:26):
of people sailing through hisfield of view, some of them he
knew and loved, some of themunknown.
He watched them file past hiseyes and disappear into the
darkness with Sarah, and he wasleft, again, with the sense of
being surrounded by the dead.
He felt them in the wind andheard them in the rustling of
the trees.
(18:47):
They were everywhere, movingaround him and through him.
He nodded to them, acknowledgingthem, and when he opened his
eyes, he found that everyone'shead was bowed in the circle as
if in prayer.
Okay, he said softly.
Okay, he repeated.
Let's call it a night.
(19:07):
In the morning, they packed thejeep and the spider.
They were up at first light,emptying the guns and weapons
from the attic, packing whatthey wanted to take with them
into the back of the Jeep,loading up the roof rack.
By the time the sun was over thesurrounding hills, they were
ready to go.
The Spider was poised at thefoot of the driveway with its
engine humming, the Jeep parkedbehind it with the Winslow Homer
(19:30):
watercolor propped up in thecargo area.
Red, Tommy, and Vi waitedoutside the jeep with Severn.
In the house, A'isha and Matthewcould be seen through the
windows, scurrying from room toroom.
Vi came up alongside Severn.
What are they doing?
she asked.
I thought we were ready to go.
(19:51):
Tommy opened the back door ofthe jeep and leaned against the
frame.
He shielded his eyes from thesun with an open hand and
squinted toward the farmhousewindows.
Why are they running around inthere like that?
Red came around from thepassenger side of the jeep to
stand beside Severn.
I smell gasoline, she said.
Matthew and A'isha exited thehouse.
(20:13):
A'isha started for the jeepwhile Matthew hung back in the
farmhouse doorway.
Severn put his arm around Vi'sshoulder.
We didn't tell you because weknew it would bother you, Vi.
Tell her what?
Tommy asked.
The couple that own the house,Severn said to both Tommy and
Vi.
They're still in there.
They're under the cover, side byside, in the master bedroom.
(20:35):
I wondered why that room waslocked, Tommy said.
Vi stepped away from Severn.
And you didn't tell me?
Severn said, They looked likethey belonged there, Vi,
together, in their own bedroom.
I didn't want to disturb them.
We didn't either, A'isha said,joining them.
Mr.
and Mrs.
It's their house.
We were guests.
(20:56):
She turned back to the farmhouseas Matthew lit up a rag wrapped
around a stick and tossed theburning stick through the front
door.
Before he could reach the jeep,the downstairs of the farmhouse
was burning, flames eating upthe curtains and shooting out
the open windows.
We're cremating them, A'ishasaid.
Tommy reached over the jeep doorand touched Vi's shoulder as if
(21:19):
to comfort her.
Okay, Vi said to Severn.
She moved closer to him again.
I guess it's the right thing todo.
Matthew joined them and stoodbehind A'isha.
He put his arm around her andshe leaned back into him.
The six of them were quiet thenin the morning sunlight,
gathered around the jeep,watching the farmhouse burn.
(21:42):
Red turned to Severn after aminute, as if to ask why they
weren't leaving.
He saw that flames didn't holdthe same fascination for Red
that they did for him and theothers, and And he guessed that
this was likely yet anotherthing that separated humans from
strangers.
He tried to think of how toexplain it to Red, the human
fascination with fire.
(22:03):
Flames entrance us, he thoughtto say.
And then he thought that evenmore than that, watching the
farmhouse burn was like watchingthe last of everything they knew
turn to smoke and ashes beforethey ventured off into an
altered world.
One that was a mystery, full ofthings they didn't know, and
maybe couldn't even dream.
(22:25):
He didn't know how to explainany of this to Red, so he took
her hand in his and held ittight, and in that moment he
felt gratitude bubbling up inhim, and he was amazed by it.
He felt the six of them standingin a little knot watching the
flames, and he felt the others,the surrounding spirits of all
who had gone before them.
(22:46):
He didn't know what to say, andhe gave up trying.
He held on to Red and Vi, andwatched flames devour the house,
growling and roaring, as if theythemselves were a living thing.
In a moment, they were gone.
They would leave and move on,but for now, Severn watched the
farmhouse burn in silence as ifawestruck in the heat of the
(23:09):
fire under the warmth of themorning sun.
That was the nineteenth andfinal episode of The Strangers.
This podcast is an experiment inalternatives to traditional
(23:31):
publishing.
In forthcoming episodes, beforeI begin the next novel in the
series.
I'll be reading a few shortstories and talking about the
craft of writing.
I hope you enjoyed TheStrangers, and I hope you'll
join me for future episodes.
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